October 7. 1869. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



29! 



oot of doors, and they may so remain until Christtnaa, a little dry litter 

 being placed over them in eevere weather, but remove it whenever the 

 temperature is mild AV.out Christmas the pots may be set on a shelf in 

 a greenhouse, and a nioderato supply of water Bhould be given at first, 

 increasing it as the plftuts prow, and when advanced for bloom a good 

 supply of wates should be given. The best tubers (or forcing are those 

 which have rested early ft»r forcing early they oupht to be jwtted ij 

 Angis Land may iben be introduced intr the greenhouae in NoTember ; 

 they will flower in Feliruary or March . Tubers which hava been kept a 

 year over the season of planting are best for very early forcing, as they 

 are more easily excited. They may be potted in Angnat, and placed in the 

 greenhouae Bix weeks afterwards :and by introducing them at different 

 periods bloom may be hept np from November to March. A window will 

 do if you have no greenhouse. 



Irises in Fots (Mf«).— They will succeed in pots. Pot them at once. 

 The pots need not be larger than safficientto contain the bulbs well, and 

 three or mora may be placed in a pot. Drain the pots well, using a 

 eompost of equal parts of turfy loam, leaf mould, and sandy peat, with 

 about one-sixth of sharp sand. Cover the bulbs about an inch deep, 

 placing sand round them. In other respects the treatment advised for 

 the Kanuncnluses is applicable to the Iris. 



CoNCRETiMG Froft-Tbri BORDER (F. H ).— We wouM not take out 

 the soil deeper than 2 feet 6 inches, or 8 feet, and that will in some 

 degree help to raise the border, which we would elevate soniewbat abr^ve 

 the eurrounding ground level. The bottom of the border ehould incline 

 from the wall to the front. 1 foot in 12 feet will be a sufficient incline. 

 Along the front yoa will need a drain, and yon shoald leave a sort of 

 ehanne Ito receive it. The drain must not be laid until the bottom has 

 been concreted, therefore you will allow fall for the drain accord ngly. 

 Yoa may concret« the border in parts, taking care to keep the prnper 

 levels. Having made the escavation, put in a 3-inch layer of coarse 

 gravel, ram it firm, and then rnn with concrete, formed of nine parts 

 pravel and one part unslaked lime; elake it, and cover it with the gravel, 

 then add suflBcient water to bring the concrete to the consistency of very 

 thin mortar ; a thickness of 3 inches of concrete will be necessary. It 

 onght to be made go thin that it must be carried in a bucket. The gravel 

 ased should be of the same kind as put upon walks. Let the concrete 

 stiffen a little until it will bear treading upon ; then roll it firm, or ram it 

 hard, leaving a smooth surface. Let it stpud until firm, and then finish 

 with an inch thick of fine gravel mixed with lime, in the proportion of 

 one part lime to three of eravel, and this mixture cannot be too soft. 

 When it becomes stiff and hard, as it will do in a few days, put in 

 thorough stones fnr drainage, not less than 6 inches in thickness, and 

 the drain along the front, which should be placed on the concrete and bo 

 covered with the drainage. If you do not object to the expense, one 

 part in six of Purtland cement added to the lime and gravel for the last 

 1-inch coating wouM be more certain to preventthe roots penetrating the 

 concrete, though we never knew them pass the lime and gravel. In 

 place of 1 inch thick of lime and gravel, you may have a layer half an 

 inch thick of Portland cement one part, and fine pravel three parts. 

 This when ran and dry will resist anything, but it wonld be more costly. 

 LiUE Water fou Expelling Worms IJ. A.).— Over 12 Iba. of fresh 

 lime pour thirty gallons of water, stir well up, let the liquid stand forty- 

 eight hours, and then, having stopped the holes in the pots with chiy, 

 deluge the soil with the clear lime water only, and the worm? will come 

 to the surface. Remove the clay from the pot holes after six hour^, 

 taking care to make the drainage free. 



WoHMS rs Lawm (R. B. N.). — Water it with lime water, made by placing 

 12 lbs. of fresh or unelacked lime in a hogshead, and pouring thirty gallons 

 of water over it, stirring it well up, and allowing to stand forty-eight hours. 

 The lawn is to be watered with the clear liquid by means of a rose water- 

 ing-pot diuring damp weather, giving a good soaking the evening succeed- 

 ing one upon which a good wntering has been given. Ammoniacal liquor 

 diluted with six times its volume of water, will answer even better than 

 the lime water; but it has the disadvantage of making the lawn look 

 brown for a time. Both act by bringing the worms to the surface, whence 

 they may bo swept np and cleared away. 



Taking up Gladiolus Bulbs (J. Watson). — The bulbs should be taken 

 np when the foliage btgins to turn yellow. This is better than allowing 

 them to remain until the leaves are quite dead ; and a better plan than 

 either, in all well-drained soils, is to leave the bulbs in the ground all 

 the year, and give a 3-inch mulching of leaf mould in November. In 

 wet soils, however, it does not answer. 



Taking a Hornets* Nest {,Y., Sidmouth). — Have yoa no one with the 

 courage to wrap a cloth round the nest at night, remove it from the 

 beam in your bam, and drown the inmates in a bucket of water? If not, 

 procure some strips of pasteboard and dip the ends in melted brimstone, '■ 

 not prepared sulphur, but what is known as stone brimstone. The 

 pieces of pasteboard may be about 3 inches long, and should when 

 dipped be placed on short pegs with a nutch in them. Take a bee hive, 

 wet it inside, put the sulphur in its top inside, which will become the 

 bottom when the hive is inverted, and cover the hive with a cloth large 

 enough to envelope it. The cloth shoald have strings so that it can be 

 tightly tied to the hive, and in the cloth where it covers the bottom of 

 the hive have a hole in the centre about 6 inches in diameter. Put the 

 hive on a pitchfork, light the brimstone matches, cover with the cloth, 

 end place it so that the opening in the cloth will include the holo in the 

 hornets' ne&t, press it gently or keep it close to the nest. The brimstone 

 fames will pass from the hive through the opening in the cloth to the 

 hornets within the nest, and yon may in a few minutes remove the nest 

 irithout fear of its inmates. 



Gladiolus Blooming in June {J, li. P. Titburston). — The Ramosus 

 section of tJladiolua bloom early, and doubtless from your description 

 yours is one of them. 



Roses for a South Wall (.4 Suhscriher).—T!hQ wing walls to your 

 conservatory will answer well for Koses Tea-scented — ijloire de Dijon, 

 Climbing Devoniensis. Uttrt'chal Niel, Madame Falcot, Nipbetos. Nnrciese, 

 »nd Safrano. Noiftt^n—CiWue Forestier, La Biche, Lamarqne, Opbirie, 

 Solfaterre, and Cloth of Gold. We should prefer them on their own roots. 

 The best soil is a moderately strong loam, but not very heavy, that being 

 best which is taken frjm the top of a pasture about 4 inches thick, turf 

 and all enriched with a fourth part each of cow dung and leaf soil, adding 

 about one-sixth of sharp sand. The turf should be chopped rather fine, 

 and the whole well incorporated, planting in a little old turf. 



Climbing Detoniensis Robe not Floweriwg {An Amat€UT). — We 

 woald not lift the plant but merely thin out the shoots where too crowded 

 and not shorten these mucL jnereiy removini? the unripe points. It verv 

 likely will bloom finely next year ; besides, it is better for a plant to make 

 vigorous growth after planting, than to make poor growth and bloom 

 soon after planting. If it do no tflower next year yon can lift it in the, 

 autumn. It is a very vigorous grower, bat Is it not grand, both in foliage 

 and flower? 



Madame de Rothschild Roae {IdejA).—l is a'good light Rose, and 

 opens freely, and from its habit wo should think suitable for a cold 

 climate. Xavier Olibo would also be suitable. 



Hyacinths to Flower at Christmas (Idem).— To have them flower 

 at Christmas, the bulbs potted about three weeks ago should be placed 

 in heat at the end of October, or beginning of November. The slower 

 they are brought forward the finer they will he, and they cannot be kept 

 too near the glass, or have too much air ; 46^ at night will be sufficient 

 excitement for three weeks, then raise it to b&\ bringing thera into 

 bloom with a temperature of 50" to 55° at night and on dull days. 

 Narcissus and Tulips succeed under the same treatment, giving an abun- 

 dance of air and light to keep them from drawing. 



Grubs and CATEBPiLtABa Destroying Cabbage Plants (J.B,En-' 

 Jield).— The grnhs are, no doubt, the leather coat, a brown short grub. 

 The only remedy is to pick away the soil from about the plants and 

 secure the pests, which when disturbed roll themselves into a sort of 

 ball They eat off the stem of the plants close to the surface. An in- 

 telligent lad will take an immense number in a day. For the caterpillars 

 we do no Iknow of a better remedy than dasting with fiesh lime early in 

 the morning while Ithe leaves are wet ; but if you have tried that two or 

 three times and it fails, we would advise hand-picking, which though a 

 tedious is a certain mode of riddance. 



Worms in Pots (W. A. 0.).— See answer to another correspondent, 

 "J. A." in to-day's Journal. 



Cape Jasmine {Idem).— The shoot of the Gardenia florida sent has a 

 bloom-bud at its point, which will give the flowers of next sprmg. Yoa 

 must not now cut away the shoots, as from their points aie produced next 

 year's flowers. 



LiBONiA floribunda {Idem).— To have it flower in winter a good 

 growth should have been made, and have it well matured by exposure tu 

 light and air, aA'crding a period of rest for at least six weeks, by keepmg 

 drier and closer before exciting into growth, for which a temperature of 

 fi.^ to 65^ at night, and 70^ to 75' by day is necessary, with a moist 

 growing heat. Afl'ord a light airy position, and do not overwater, but 

 keep the soil moist. Good drainage is necessary. 



ScHizoSTYXis (Tritonia) coccinea TREATMENT {Idem). — It is a 

 bulbous plant and flowers in autumn, and continues into winter. It is 

 , best treated as a hall-liardv plant, though it is quite hardy. Pot it now if 

 ! it is not flowering, and keep it in a cool greenhouse through the winter, 

 giving a good watering after potting, and do not allow the soil to become 

 dry in winter. In potting do not disturb the roots, but pot with the ball 

 entire, merely removing the surface soil, the drainage, and the loose soil. 

 A compost of two parts turfy loam, one part old cow dung, and one part 

 peat, with one-sixth of sharp sand will grow it well. Good drainage is 

 necessary ; cut away the old stalks as they become yellow close to the soil. 

 If it is flowering, pot when the flowering is past. Wh^^n growing freely, 

 water copiously and sprinkle with water twice aday to keep down red 

 spider. After May move to a sheltered position out of doors, or grow in a 

 cold pit, taking into a cold house for flowering, and it willbloom for weeks. 

 Aquatics (D. H).— In a smokv atmosphere we have grown the follow- 

 ing-— Nymph^a alba, white, 2 to* 3 feet ; Nuphar lutea, yellow, 18 inches 

 to 2 feet; Aponogetnn distachyon, white, 1 to 2 feet ; Alisma plantago, 

 purple and white, 1 foot ; A. natans, white, 6 inches; Acorus Calamns, 

 flowers apiitaluus: Butomus umbellatus, pink, 1 foot or margin ; Caltha 

 palnstris, flore-pleno, yellow, margin ; Cyptrus glomer^tus, 6 inches ; Ins 

 pseud-acorus variegatus, 1 foot or margin ; Myriophyllum spicatum ; M. 

 verticillatum, green, 1 foot to 2 feet ; Menyanthes trifohata, white, margin ; 

 Hottonia palustris, flesh. 6 inches and margin ; Lysimachia thyrsiflora. 

 yellow, G inches and margin ; Villartiia uyraphoidi!S. yellow, 2 to 3 feet ; 

 Statiotes aloides, white, G to 18 inches ; Rnnunculus Kqnatilis, white, 

 G inches ; Potamogeton dfiusum if yon wish to have the surface all green , 

 if not avoid the last, "raey may all be procured through any of the 

 principal London or provincial nurserymen. We cannot recommend 

 dealers. 



Tulips Planting (fl". F.).— You csy pot each bulb in a 4-inch pot, and 

 plunce the pots in soil 1 inch above the rims. We would put lu a few 

 rough cinders in each pot for drainage, and tbat will allow of the roots to 

 some extent passin.- out, whilst enough of roots will be preserved in the 

 pots to allow of their being removed after flowering. They and the 

 Narcissus should be planted this month, and not later than the beginning 

 of November. 6-inch pots will be necessary for the Narcissus. 



Names OF Fruits (F. L. .4.).— 2. Kirke's Lord Nelson; 4. Manks Codlins 

 5 Herefordshire Pearmain ; 6, Winter QiieeniuK ; 7, Sturmer Pippin ; 

 8 Norfolk Beefiof 9, Dutch Codlin ; 10. Keswick Codlin. {Inquirer). — 

 l' Baronne de Mello ; 2. Beurre Giffird; 3, Dunmoro. {Centurmn).— 

 1, Catillac is correct ; 2, Beurre Diel ; 3, Franklin's Golden PiPPin J 

 4 Certainly not Easter Beurre. It appears to be Verulam ; 5, buffolk 

 Thorn • We are in doubts about this. It is very much like Triomphe 

 de Jodnirme; 7, G!ou Mor^eau; 8, Frizzled Nut ; 9, Beiue Claude de 

 Bavay is quite correct. {TV. Noble).— h B'^uvie LefevTe ; 2. Nouvean 

 Poiteau ; 3, Urbaniste : 4, Beurre Supeifiu. {Avonlcnsi-i).—l, y^eurre 

 Dipl • 2, Napoleon ; 3, Untnown, worthless ; 4, Flemish Beauty ; 7, o£laa* 

 Esperen, (\V. Ciithush & Son) —Headcroft Seedling. {E. A. W.).— 

 1, Catillac ; 3, Van Mons Leon le Clerc ; 4, Bergamotte Esperen ; 6, Beurre 

 Diel; 7, Beurre Nantais ; 8, Van Marum ; U, Triomphe de Jodoigne ; 

 10, Fondants d'Automne. [E. A. L.).—l, Easter Beurre ; 2, Coloree 

 d' Aout ; 3, Lucien Le Clerc. 



Names of Plants {Black Bantam).— It is one of the many vaiiations 

 but an uncommon one, of Scolopendrium valpare. Harts Tongue. {Rev- 

 E fl,).— It ia quite impossible for us to name flori'its' flowers. They are 

 in legions, and florists themselves have great difficulty in identifying 

 them, even when they see an entire plant; they s > nearly resemble 

 others. {A. Grecn).~hC^Tiomimn caryotideum ; 2.Cyrtomiumfalcatum 

 3, Genista canariensis ; 5, Tussilago japonica. {E. J. Birmtnghamj.-Vie 

 cannot.name plants from their leaves only. 



